Trump called FIFA president to review red card to US striker

President Donald Trump says he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card given to US national football team striker Folarin Balogun, calling it a "horrible" call.

"All I did was ask for a review," Trump said to press at the White House on Monday.

Trump says he "didn't think it was a foul and it was two great athletes that crashed each other and got entangled."

The US president says he didn't initially know what a red card was or what its consequences were.

When he found out it could keep Balogun out of Monday's World Cup match against Belgium, Trump says he felt compelled to intervene.

He says "that's very unfair, how do you penalise them for a game that hasn't been played?"

Ultimately the US lost to Belgium in their last 16 clash.

However, FIFA's move to overturn the ban has prompted widespread controversy.